METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING AN OVERVIEW OF A PLURALITY OF HOME SCREENS

• US 20130083075A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Luomala, Petri, Rytivaara, Markku, Kyllonen, Janne V., Lahdenpera, Jari
• Granted Patent: US 10,192,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/660
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/045 Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/145 related to small screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided that facilitate an overview of a plurality of home screens in order to increase the efficiency with which users interact with the home screens. In this regard, a method is provided that includes causing a display of a first home screen and then causing the display to zoom out from the first home screen to a canvas overview representing a plurality of home screens including the first home screen. The canvas overview is configured to present the plurality of home screens in a continuous arrangement and to group items accessible via a respective home screen in proximity to one another. The method also receives a selection of a second home screen from the canvas overview and causes the display to be zoomed in from the canvas overview to the second home screen.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing a display of a first home screen;

causing, with a processor, the display to zoom out from the first home screen to a canvas overview representing a plurality of home screens including the first home screen, wherein the canvas overview is configured to present the plurality of home screens in a continuous arrangement and to group items accessible via a respective home screen in proximity to one another;

receiving a selection of a second home screen from the canvas overview; and

causing the display to be zoomed in from the canvas overview to the second home screen.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising causing an item to be moved from one home screen to another home screen while the canvas overview is caused to be displayed.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising causing an item to be moved from one home screen to another portion of the canvas overview in order to newly define a different home screen.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising causing a representation of each application that is active to be displayed in a respective area of the canvas overview.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising causing an application to be launched in response to user input while the canvas overview is caused to be displayed.

6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising causing a representation of each item representative of a shortcut to be displayed in a respective area of the canvas overview.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising causing an application library to be displayed in a respective area of the canvas overview.

8. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to at least:

cause a display of a first home screen;

cause the display to zoom out from the first home screen to a canvas overview representing a plurality of home screens including the first home screen, wherein the canvas overview is configured to present the plurality of home screens in a continuous arrangement and to group items accessible via a respective home screen in proximity to one another;

receive a selection of a second home screen from the canvas overview; and

cause the display to be zoomed in from the canvas overview to the second home screen.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to cause an item to be moved from one home screen to another home screen while the canvas overview is caused to be displayed.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to cause an item to be moved from one home screen to another portion of the canvas overview in order to newly define a different home screen.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to cause a representation of each application that is active to be displayed in a respective area of the canvas overview.

12. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to cause an application to be launched in response to user input while the canvas overview is caused to be displayed.

13. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to cause a representation of each item representative of a shortcut to be displayed in a respective area of the canvas overview.

14. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to cause an application library to be displayed in a respective area of the canvas overview.

15. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program instructions comprising:

program instructions configured to cause a display of a first home screen;

program instructions configured to cause the display to zoom out from the first home screen to a canvas overview representing a plurality of home screens including the first home screen, wherein the canvas overview is configured to present the plurality of home screens in a continuous arrangement and to group items accessible via a respective home screen in proximity to one another;

program instructions configured to receive a selection of a second home screen from the canvas overview; and

program instructions configured to cause the display to be zoomed in from the canvas overview to the second home screen.

16. A computer program product according to claim 15 wherein the computer-readable program instructions further comprise program instructions configured to cause an item to be moved from one home screen to another home screen while the canvas overview is caused to be displayed.

17. A computer program product according to claim 15 wherein the computer-readable program instructions further comprise program instructions configured to cause an item to be moved from one home screen to another portion of the canvas overview in order to newly define a different home screen.

18. A computer program product according to claim 15 wherein the computer-readable program instructions further comprise program instructions configured to cause a representation of each application that is active to be displayed in a respective area of the canvas overview.

19. A computer program product according to claim 15 wherein the computer-readable program instructions further comprise program instructions configured to cause a representation of each item representative of a shortcut to be displayed in a respective area of the canvas overview.

20. A computer program product according to claim 15 wherein the computer-readable program instructions further comprise program instructions configured to cause an application library to be displayed in a respective area of the canvas overview.